Anybody has any stories about overcoming a fear of heights at BCT/OSUT?

December 16th, 2012, 06:20 PM

I know I might get some flak for it, but I am afraid of heights, but being a Soldier is, and always will be, my dream job.
I'm doing Cav OSUT, so from what I've seen, it's a lot of climbing and rappelling (rappelling isn't as bad as climbing, I would think).

Does anyone have any personal stories or stories of some guys they were with that had a fear of heights who made it?

I know it has been done, but hearing stories kinda makes me more confident.

Note: To the people who aren't afraid of heights who say suck it up, it's harder than you think...

I know I might get some flak for it, but I am afraid of heights, but being a Soldier is, and always will be, my dream job.
I'm doing Cav OSUT, so from what I've seen, it's a lot of climbing and rappelling (rappelling isn't as bad as climbing, I would think).

Does anyone have any personal stories or stories of some guys they were with that had a fear of heights who made it?

I know it has been done, but hearing stories kinda makes me more confident.

Note: To the people who aren't afraid of heights who say suck it up, it's harder than you think...

Thank y'all in advance!

When there are two or three drill sgts screaming at you to get a move on, trust me...you will have no issues.

Re: Anybody has any stories about overcoming a fear of heights at BCT/OSUT?

I had a ball. Laughed all the way down the tower. Did it in two enormous leaps. Not even a shread of fear. I could do that all day. But here's the trick. the second you get up to the top keep your eyes on the DS. Don't look over the edge and don't look off at the horizon. Soon as you turn your back and start scaling down keep your eyes on the face of the tower. Don't look down, up, left or right. Take small hops. LISTEN for instruction as you're scaling down.

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Re: Anybody has any stories about overcoming a fear of heights at BCT/OSUT?

Watch the above video. Just like the movie Full Metal Jacket and Paralegal probably could attest to; at Fort Campbell, if you did have air assault wings and in an air assault unit, you did air assault PT at the end of the day. ( I told this story before on NG forums) When I arrived to Fort Campbell to the 101st MP Company (disbanded due to transformation), I was getting smoked daily; even by Soldiers junior than me since I did not have air assault wings. Also, when you had wings, you were given an air assault challenge coin and at times during the day, someone in the company area will throw that coin towards a group of Soldiers and when it landed and you did not have wings, you will have to drop and do ten-pushups. It will happen about 10 to 15 times a day hearing that coin fall plus it was a headache to be the one at the end of the day doing PT a second time at the O-course since I did not have wings and watch everyone go home at 1600 for the rest of the day.

Everyone would compete to get on top of the OML so they could be the next to go to air assault school.

Anyway, everytime we go to the O-course, there was this one MP Specialist who could never get over the ladder. He will get up near the top but never over it. Various NCOs would try to help and he will always lock up at the top. Not even the Senior Drill Instructor in Full Metal Jacket would be able to get this trooper over the ladder. Anyway, I approached him one day and asked him why he would want to do PT two times a day than just overcome his fear so he can go to air assault school and pass. But obviously at AAS, you will have to repel down a tower and airborne helicopter plus fast rope so I know this Soldier will never get beyond all those tasks dealing with heights.

I end up getting my stripes back at Fort Campbell and the rules changed that all NCOs/Officers were always frontloaded so I went to Air Assault School in May 2005; passed and never had to deal with that abuse ever again. But hey, you would get into real shape. I carry my coin to this day.

Good thing you are NG and will never get to be stationed at Fort Campbell with the 101st. Maybe with the days of hazing stopped; they no longer treat Soldiers like that anymore.

Watch the above video. Just like the movie Full Metal Jacket and Paralegal probably could attest to; at Fort Campbell, if you did have air assault wings and in an air assault unit, you did air assault PT at the end of the day. ( I told this story before on NG forums) When I arrived to Fort Campbell to the 101st MP Company (disbanded due to transformation), I was getting smoked daily; even by Soldiers junior than me since I did not have air assault wings. Also, when you had wings, you were given an air assault challenge coin and at times during the day, someone in the company area will throw that coin towards a group of Soldiers and when it landed and you did not have wings, you will have to drop and do ten-pushups. It will happen about 10 to 15 times a day hearing that coin fall plus it was a headache to be the one at the end of the day doing PT a second time at the O-course since I did not have wings and watch everyone go home at 1600 for the rest of the day.

Everyone would compete to get on top of the OML so they could be the next to go to air assault school.

Anyway, everytime we go to the O-course, there was this one MP Specialist who could never get over the ladder. He will get up near the top but never over it. Various NCOs would try to help and he will always lock up at the top. Not even the Senior Drill Instructor in Full Metal Jacket would be able to get this trooper over the ladder. Anyway, I approached him one day and asked him why he would want to do PT two times a day than just overcome his fear so he can go to air assault school and pass. But obviously at AAS, you will have to repel down a tower and airborne helicopter plus fast rope so I know this Soldier will never get beyond all those tasks dealing with heights.

I end up getting my stripes back at Fort Campbell and the rules changed that all NCOs/Officers were always frontloaded so I went to Air Assault School in May 2005; passed and never had to deal with that abuse ever again. But hey, you would get into real shape. I carry my coin to this day.

Good thing you are NG and will never get to be stationed at Fort Campbell with the 101st. Maybe with the days of hazing stopped; they no longer treat Soldiers like that anymore.

My beloved coin that I earned with blood and sweat

Good story, Sir. But, I have to ask... What was the point of the story? Sorry!

Good story, Sir. But, I have to ask... What was the point of the story? Sorry!

My point was that even if you do not overcome your fear of heights or cannot negotiate an obstacle based on heights at BCT; that it is not the end all of you passing BCT or a factor in your military career. My story reflects someone who has had fear of heights in the military since day one and that is how he handled it. No biggy.

My point was that even if you do not overcome your fear of heights or cannot negotiate an obstacle based on heights at BCT; that it is not the end all of you passing BCT or a factor in your military career. My story reflects someone who has had fear of heights in the military since day one and that is how he handled it. No biggy.

Oh, I see! So, wait... If you don't make it over something in the Confidence Obstacle Course it doesn't disqualify you?